Churches in Indiana

Religious Landscape of Indiana

Indiana's religious character blends Midwestern mainline Protestantism with Southern evangelical influence. United Methodists have historically been the most widespread denomination, with over 1,200 congregations making the Indiana Annual Conference one of the largest in the denomination. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which has its national headquarters in Indianapolis, is more prominent in Indiana than in almost any other state, reflecting the Stone-Campbell restoration movement's 19th-century spread through the Ohio River Valley. The Catholic Church is the largest single denomination, with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend serving substantial populations. Notre Dame University in South Bend gives Indiana an outsized Catholic cultural influence. Southern Baptists have expanded steadily from the state's southern counties. Non-denominational megachurches have grown rapidly in the Indianapolis suburbs, with congregations like Northview Church and Traders Point attracting thousands weekly. The Church of the Nazarene, headquartered in adjacent Kansas City, has deep roots in Indiana. Indiana's adherence rate of about 47% is near the national average, with higher churchgoing rates in rural areas and small towns and lower rates in college communities like Bloomington.